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Part of Education community connections and advisory councils

Student engagement

Alberta students can find meaningful opportunities to be involved in their school communities and shape the education system.

Overview

Students are important partners in our education system and Alberta's government believes student voices should play a role in shaping it.

The Minister's Youth Council gives students opportunities to share input and perspectives on provincial programs and initiatives.

Student engagement initiatives:

  • empower students as leaders of their learning
  • provide opportunities to build positive working relationships with education partners
  • engage students as leaders of change in their communities
  • support leadership development for students at school and community levels
  • honour the capability and capacity of students to engage as authentic education partners

  • Benefits for students

    • Practice and acquire skills for a successful future.
    • Ownership and sense of responsibility for learning and learning environment.
    • Understanding of diverse opinions.
    • Dialogue and negotiation skills.
    • Greater understanding of governance within Alberta’s education system.
    • Increased leadership ability.
    • Role in driving change.
    • New relationships with a diverse group of students and adults.
    • Improved critical thinking, knowledge application and problem solving skills.
    • Develop the skills to become effective participating citizens.

  • Benefits for schools

    • Improved relationships between students, teachers, parents, school leaders and education system leaders.
    • Programming and policies informed by student input.
    • Students take responsibility and ownership of their learning and school community.
    • Supports and promotes a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment.

  • Benefits to system and province

    • Collaborative relationships with education partners.
    • Access to valuable input provided by students with a diversity of opinions, ideas and lived experiences.
    • Improved decision making with a better understanding of students’ varied needs.
    • A more responsible education system that reflects greater diversity and inclusiveness.

Minister’s Youth Council

The Minister’s Youth Council (MYC) consists of about 40 junior and senior high students with diverse interests, identities, backgrounds and perspectives from all regions of Alberta. Students on the council provide their perspectives on a number of education topics.

Students are members of the Minister’s Youth Council for a 10-month term that aligns with the school year. During the school year, the council attends three meetings.

Applications for the 2024/25 Minister's Youth Council are now closed.

2024/25 Members

Abeera Wasif
The Grasslands School Division

Abigail Cruz
The Northwest Francophone Education Region

Alex Dudek
The Edmonton School Division

Anaya Chisholm
The Palliser School Division

Anushreya Neupane
STEM Innovation Academy Society

Asseel Sigha
The Battle River School Division

Benjamin Balla
The High Prairie School Division

Cara Nicholls
The Parkland School Division

Charlotte Cyr
The Lakeland Roman Catholic Separate School Division

Claire Franko
The Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School Division

Clara Langen
The Calgary School Division

Elissa Manortey
The Rocky View School Division

Fahd Mohamed
The Red Deer School Division

Hannah Maser
The Medicine Hat Roman Catholic Separate School Division

Hayden Lester
The Grasslands School Division

Ilona-Christina Kibangou-Li
The Southern Francophone Education Region

Jason Crawford
The Calgary School Division

Jennifer Doerksen
The Livingstone Range School Division

Kaiya Longmore
Kitaskinaw Education Authority

Kamea Jr. Lafontaine
The Christ the Redeemer Catholic Separate School Division

Katharine Liu
West Island College Society of Alberta

Kylie McGuire
The Sturgeon School Division

Lauren Gallant
The Fort Vermilion School Division

Levi Badger
Kitaskinaw Education Authority

Loulla Panayides
The Red Deer Catholic Separate School Division

Luotong Shi
The Calgary School Division

Makayla Wall
Rundle College Society

Malaak Abdo
Edmonton Islamic School Society

Mattayeh Speers
The Rocky View School Division

Maya Dalueg
The Living Waters Catholic Separate School Division

Mikayla Yung
The Edmonton Catholic Separate School Division

Mina Soliman
Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School

Nishka Rai
The Fort McMurray School Division

Nissrine Fanani
The Greater North Central Francophone Education Region

Owen Gladue
Bigstone Cree Nation Education Authority

Salma Elzayat
The Lakeland Roman Catholic Separate School Division

Saruch Sitcheron
Aurora School Ltd.

Siifan Abazinab
The Rocky View School Division

Taylor Martin
The Northern Lights School Division

Vince Dizon
The Red Deer Catholic Separate School Division

District-level councils

Some school authorities have district-level student councils. These are teams of students who represent the student population from elementary to high school. Usually, the councils work with their school authority leadership and board trustees on educational issues and topics that impact students.

Not only is a district-level student council another opportunity for student engagement, but the councils also provide meaningful input to school authorities and schools.

District-level councils play different roles depending on the level of engagement students have with system leadership, and on desired outcomes. Councils can:

  • serve an advisory role offering advice to school boards or senior leadership on policies or initiatives
  • help create policy or lead design projects at their schools
  • play a collaborative role with their school authorities by participating in decision-making processes

Regardless of the model or role, the intent is that students are able to provide input on initiatives that impact their educational experiences.

Setting up a council is a collaborative effort requiring support from school authority leaders, school leaders, teachers, parents and students.

Contact

Connect with the Student Engagement Team:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Email: [email protected]